>> pelley: tonight remembering a giant. >> a time for the healing of the wounds has come. >> pelley: late today we learned of the death of nelson mandela, the man who lead south africa from apartheid to a multiracial democracy. >> he no longer belongs to us. he belongs to the ages. >> pelley: from johannesburg. an american is gunned down in benghazi, libya. was it terrorism, bob orr is covering. snow, ice and bitter cold stretch across half the nation. manual bojorquez on what it is hitting and where it is going. and the special bond between two presidents.

we'll talk to bill clinton about his friend nelson mandela. >> we could have had the politics of resentment. he chose the politics of inclusion. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. he changed the world. you can't say that about many people. but you can say that about nelson mandela. the man who lead south africa's peaceful transition out of apartheid and became the country's first black president. he died today at the age of 95. mandela had been battling a lung infection for many months. right after its official announcement tonight mourners began gathering at mandela's home in johannesburg to sing his praises. we have extensive coverage of nelson mandela's life and legacy. first we'll go to deborah in

johannesburg tonight, deborah, how has this unfolded for us this evening? >> well, scott, for 26 weeks south africans have lived with the knowledge that nelson mandela was gravely ill. first the three month hospitalization and then he was sent to his home to see out his final days because there was nothing more doctor kos do for him. a few days ago his wife realized he was deteriorating even further. and actually summoned the family to his bedside. and many of them were there earlier this evening and able to say their final good-byes to him before his death. and eventually that announcement from president zuma that nelson mandela had died shortly before midnight south african time. outside his home many south africans have gathered, both black and white. fitting that it is both black and white because they are what nelson mandela was all about, that both races should equally mourn this man, so loved and adored in south africa. >> pelley: deborah, mandela

retired from public life way back in 2004. what impact will this have on the nation now? >> many south africans will only wake up to the news that he has died tomorrow morning because they would have been asleep when the announcement was made. and this is going to be a call for unprecedented mourning in south africa. it's no surprise that nelson mandela died but that doesn't mean that the loss won't be felt. i'm a journalist who has covered mandela for many, many years. i'm also a south african who feels the pain that many south africans will be feeling. how do you summarize the loof of an extraordinary man in a few words. he always had a twinkle in his eye, greeted you as if you were a long lost friend. this is a man who was able to combine extraordinary generosity with power. a man adored, revered by this country. our greatest pride. >> pelley: from johannesburg, thank you very much. nelson mandela kept in his office a photograph of

himself with another trailblazing president, the first black president of the united states,. the photograph was taken when mandela visited washington in 2005. and mr. obama was then a brand-new united states senator from illinois. here was mr. obama's reaction late today to the death. >> we have lost one of the most influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this earth. he no longer belongs to us, he belongs to the ages. through his dignity and unbending will to sacrifice his own freedom for the freedom of others, he transformed south africa and moved all of us. >> pelley: president obama used the word modiba an honorary tightle that translates at father. major garrett at the white house tells us this evening

mr. obama plans to attend the state funeral in south africa. that is likely to be in about ten days. nelson mandela will be remembered as a man who emerged from a tiny village to become a defining figure of our time. he was born on july 18th, 1918 in a village called mvezo. his mother named him holy sashava meaning troublemaker, but later a teacher renamed him nelson. he moved to johannesburg at 23, he became one of the nation's first black lawyers and joined the opposition african national congress in the early 1940s, devoting himself then to peacefully ending apartheid. then in 1960, 69 peaceful black demonstrators were killed by white south african police in the infamous sharpeville massacre. mandela came to believe that the only recourse then was violence. >> there are many people who feel that it is useless and

futile for us to continue talking peace and nonviolence against a government whose reply is only savage attacks. on an unarmed and defenseless people. >> pelley: he was arrested in 1962 and later sentenced to life for sabotage and conspiracy. he served most of his time on robben island, the alcatraz of south africa. fellow prisoner, mr. ac maharaj said pan della never let his spirit die. >> he worked on the premise that he would live to see the victory. he accepted that he may not live to see the victory. but he did not doubt that the freedom struggle would triumph. >> pelley: mandela was imprisoned for 27 years. then on february 11th, 1990 at the age of 71 he walked free. cbs news correspondent bob simon covered his release. >> the mandela limousine was a beat up toyota. the motorcade had a change

plans several times because the approaches to capetown were jammed. >> pelley: archbishop desmond tutu said prison made the man. >> fairly robust and aggressive young, militant became a generous and upstanding person. >> i cherish the idea of the new south africa where all south africans are equal. >> pelley: in 1993 mandela and the south african president who freed him f.w. de klerk shared the nobel peace prize. and a year after that, mandela became south africa's president. >> let there be justice for all. let there be peace for all. let there be bread, water wealth, and salt for all. let freedom reign.

god bless africa. i thank you. >> pelley: mandela chose to serve only one term. in the end, he came to personify struggle, a political prisoner who became president and saved his south african nation. >> i mean he could easily have lead our country down the road of retribution and revenge and we would have been up a creek. >> pelley: author maya angelou knew mandela since 1960. >> nelson mandela represents the best any of us can hope for. he was a great man. and i'm grateful, the world is better for having him. >> pelley: mandela biographer john carlin told us this evening it tells you all you need to know that mandela will be mourned equally in south africa by blacks and whites alike. now to another important story this evening. today an american teacher

was gunned down in benghazi, libya, the city where the u.s. ambassador was killed lastier by islamic mill fants. here's bob orr. >> reporter: as he and his wife anita left texas for libya ronnie smith made this video for his austin church. he talked about his need to spread a spiritual message. smith worried about adapting to a foreign culture but said faith would guide him. >> if there is any single person in the entire universe that you can take a chance on, it's god. >> reporter: smith took a job teaching chemistry at the international school in benghazi. this morning as he was jogging along this street, smith was shot and killed by gunmen riding in a black jeep. no one has claimed responsibility. but suspicions are focused on islamic militants. since u.s. ambassador chris stevens and three other americans were killed in benghazi 15 months ago, wernhaers ve been targets. in tunee th u.s. state department warned all u.s.

citizens against traveling to benghazi. and the october capture of al qaeda an rattive abu anas al-libi in tripoli only added to the worries. in an internet posting just days ago al qaeda prop gandist urged militants in libya to strike back saying rise up and take revenge from america. >> you go to a place like this. >> reporter: smith was certainly aware of potential dangers. but his message to his church said his religious conviction gave him strength. >> no matter what happens, i'm good, it gives me peace, i'm okay with that. >> reporter: now we don't know if smith was specifically targeted in a planned a attack or perhaps the victim of some other type of crime but scott, u.s. authorities tonight are pressing the police in libya for a vigorous investigation. >> pelley: bob orr in our washington newsroom, bob, thanks very much. tonight severe weather has much of the nation in a deep freeze. first came two feet of snow in the rockies and upper midwest.

now there's an ice storm stretching from texas to tennessee, with adviceries all the way up to new york and a hard freeze warning in california. manual bojorquez is in texas. >> parts of texas are already covered in ice. roads near odessa are treacherous. up to a half inch of ice is forecast for dallas. 300 salt and sand trucks are ready. ryan lafontaine is with the texas department of transportation. >> this is big, you know, u) fort worth area is big. >> today oklahoma's governor declared a state of emergency. and ice is expected to bring down electric lines in arkansas. nearly 7,000 utility workers have been put on stand by for what could be the worst storm in four years. a separate system is pushing temperatures below zero in the dakotas. and dumps three feet of snow

in parts of minnesota. >> i think this stuff is pretty froze up. a little icy. >> reporter: it's so cold in fargo the salt used to melt the road ice won't work. the sub zero windchills are forecast through the weekend. at least nine deaths are being blamed on the weather. the dallas area will see the worst of it overnight. and scott, another round of freezing rain is expected over the weekend. >> pelley: manual bojorquez in dallas fort worth, thanks. a catholic diocese has opened its books for the first time on sexual abuse by priests. and a look at how nelson mandela touched america when the "cbs evening news" continues. it's a stationery and gifts store. anything we purchase for the paper cottage goes on our ink card. so you can manage your business expenses and access them online instantly with the game changing app from ink. we didn't get into business to spend time managing receipts,

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[ male announcer ] everyone deserves the gift of all day pain relief. this season, discoalver eve. all day pain relief with just two pills. >> pelley: today the vatican said pope francis will pit together a panel of experts to advise him on how to protect children from sexual abuse by priests. this comes on the same day that the archdiocese of st. paul in minneapolis tried to rebuild trust in the church by publishing the names of dozens of priests who have been accused of sexual abuse. here's dean reynolds. >> reporter: an on-line apology today from the imposing cathedral of st. paul expressed regret for the pain priests had caused. archbishop john neinstedt. >> i sincerely pray that these efforts will contribute to the healing process for victims and others who have been harmed.

>> does it? >> good question, not really. >> reporter: al mish odd and jamie heutmaker say they were abused by the same catholic priest, jerome concern, first jamie in 1969 and then al eight years later, kern was removed from the ministry and was unavailable for comment today. >> this has gone on for so long and priests like this were shuffled around it was like a shell game. >> i think catholics everywhere should standh. we want our church back. >> reporter: the archdiocese had refused to release the list of 34 priest as busd of sexually abusing minors. many had been named in criminal charges but some were made public for the first time. jeff anderson represents michaud and heutmaker and has filed more than 2,000 lawsuits in connection with priest sex abuse. >> i wish i could say we're at the end of the disclosures. i believe we're at the

beginning of the real disclosures. >> reporter: a victim's advocate group say more than 6,000 clerics have been cedely a-- cedably accused of abuse over the past six decades but only half of their names have ever been made public. the archdiocese says it has engaged in an ongoing review of its files, scott, and will update its list when necessary, adding that the disclosures made today are not intended to be final. >> pelley: thank you, dean. in a moment we'll look at how nelson mandela changed the life of one american. orbiting the moon in 1971. afghanistan in 2009. on the u.s.s. saratoga in 1982. [ male announcer ] once it's earned, usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation because it offers a superior level of protection and because usaa's commitment to serve current and former military members and their families is without equal.

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>> pelley: nelson mandela once said education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. jim axelrod found that message changed the hearts of some american students. >> reporter: when nelson mandela visited madison park high school in roxbury, massachusetts, in 1990 the crowd went wild. eager to hear his words of wisdom. >> the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow. >> reporter: a 16-year-old sophomore in the gim nassium that day. >> the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow. and at the time that was one of the things that really stuck to my head. so this day i try to instill the same concept in my students. >> reporter: mandela's

speech was a turning point in his young life. he decided he too wanted to lead from the classroom as a teacher. >> okay. the word freedom, but freedom is not free. >> reporter: now he's a history teacher at brighton high school in boston, hoping to a model in a school where more than one in ten students drop out. born to poor immigrant parents in the west african nation of cape verde, dipina knows well the barriers to a child's success. >> i used my-- as a motivation. today as an education-- educator i tell my students don't use your personal issues as an impediment, to come to school. sues it as a motivation. because it will pay off. >> reporter: he says the words in life of one of africa's greatest elders will long inspire. >> and this is the person i was talking about, nelson mandela.

>> he paved the way for others. and i think that cycle should only continue, if you want to have a better world. >> reporter: many will remember how nelson mandela changed the world, including one kid in the bleachers who was moved to try to do the same one classroom at a time. >> there is no easy walk to freedom anywhere. >> reporter: jim axelrod, cbs news, boston. >> pelley: in a moment, bill clinton's very personal remembrance. of nelson mandela. too cold. like the last three weekends. asthma doesn't affect my job... you missed the meeting again last week! it doesn't affect my family. your coughing woke me up again. i wish you'd take me to the park. i don't use my rescue inhaler a lot... depends on what you mean by a lot. coping with asthma isn't controlling it. test your level of control at asthma.com, then talk to your doctor. there may be more you could do for your asthma. see, i knew testosterone could affect sex drive,

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>> now all over the world there are three words, which spoken together express the triumph of freedom, democracy and hope for the future. they are president nelson mandela. >> pelley: no american president was closer to nelson mandela that bill clinton. their terms in office in the 1990s overhappened. when mr. clinton got caught up in scandal mandela visiting the white house stood by him saying our morality does not allow us to desert our friends. recently we asked mr. clinton about their special bond. >> you met with nelson mandela more than any president. and i wonder what was your

relationship in those days? >> well, we became good friends. on that end, ironically in 1992 i met him at the democratic convention in new york when i was being nominated for president. we had business to do. they were one of the countries that voluntarily gave up their nuclear arsenal. and in the process of that we became good personal friends. we used to do business together on the phone where their time difference was so great i would take the call at night. and it wasn't too late mandela would make me go get chelsea every time he called and he would talk to her and ask her if she was doing her homework. he was an enormous help to me during every difficult time i had as president. and he did it all, interestingly enough while he never stopped being president of south africa. so if his country had a position that disagreed with ours, we would have our argument and he would be very firm. but when we weren't working,

he was my friend. >> i wonder why you clicked, the two of you? why the friendship? >> oh, he gets most of the credit for that, you know. he was the most widely admired man in the world. he didn't need this. he just was kind to me. and he, i guess he thought i had potential to do a thing or two. and he went out of his way just to be my friend, talk to me about life, raising kids, dealing with disappointment, managing anger. he was-- he is an astonishing human being. >> managing anger. >> yeah, i asked him once. i said mandela, you are a great man but you are a woily politician t was good politics to put your jarls in your inauguration and put the heads of the parties that imprisoned you in the government but tell me the truth, didn't you hate them. >> he said yes.

>> briefly i did. i hated them and i was afraid i hadn't had freedom for so long. but then i realized if i still hated them after i left, they would still have me. i wanted to be free. and so i let it go. he said that's what you have to do. is what we all have to do. we have to let it go. that is the kind of thing you say to me, just an ode conversation. >> what was mandela's achievement? >> he built a genuine multiracial democracy in south africa. when he could have had a one party state and shut everybody else out, when he could have had the politics 6 resentment, he chose the politics of inclusion. it is the only thing that works it is the only thing that is working in american communities today. >> pelley: bill clinton remembering nelson mandela without died today at the age of 95. that's the "cbs evening news" for tonight. we're going to leave you with the scene outside mandela's home tonight in

johannesburg. for all of us at cbs news, all around the world, good night. as he once said, i'm not a saint unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying. >> tonight an outpouring of emotion from all over the world as the news spread that the former south african president nelson mandela has died. tonight we're taking a look back at the life of the nobel prize winner with live team coverage. >> but first we need to give you some information a little closer to home. the first alert weather team is declaring a yellow alert for friday. let's check in with chief meteorologist topper shutt to see what we can expect. topper?

>> here's the deal. we're looking at a yellow alert tomorrow for the rain to our west and then the ice and snow will be a red alert on sunday. so this is where the winter precipitation is now along the ohio river, but this is all rain in kentucky and also in west virginia. this is what's heading our way. you're okay the next few hours, but showers late tonight, that will lead to a wet commute tomorrow morning, a yellow alert and then cold air moves in saturday and sunday will be snow and ice much of the day. we'll talk about that coming up. now getting back to the life of nelson mandela, south africa's president announced that news just a few hours ago. >> it comes following mandela's long battle with lung problems that have plagued him for months now. danielle nottingham has the story. >> reporter: former president bill clinton released a statement saying today the world has lost one of its most important leaders and one of its finest human beings.